1
as in to fumble
to make a mistake
we must have goofed up somewhere, because this cake clearly didn't turn out right
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in to blow
to make or do (something) in a clumsy or unskillful way
he goofed up his first sale at the dealership
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for goof (up)
Verb
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Lose Aaron Jones, and the offense will hinge on Jordan Mason, who has a mountain to climb in pass protection, and rookie Demond Claiborne, who fumbled five times in 179 carries last season at Wake Forest.—
Alec Lewis,
New York Times,
22 May 2026 -
In doing so, the TV adaptation fumbled the comics’ superior final act, turning Butcher’s own ignominious death at the hands of Hughie into an ineffective afterthought.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
20 May 2026
Verb
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But questions about his future in Boston have swirled since the Celtics blew a 3-1 series lead en route to their first opening-round playoff exit since 2021.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
26 May 2026
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Trump may also be extrapolating from his first term, and especially his first impeachment, when people in the government blew the whistle on his attempts to blackmail Ukraine into investigating Joe Biden and his family.—
Tom Nichols,
The Atlantic,
26 May 2026
Verb
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Darby tried a suicide dive, but tripped on the ropes and landed on the back of his neck for a scary landing.—
Alfred Konuwa,
Forbes.com,
24 May 2026
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McCartney has some good company this time, anyway, in his cheerful time-tripping.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
23 May 2026
Verb
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In contrast, André Burakovsky and Artyom Levshunov stumbled through forgettable seasons.—
Kalen Lumpkins,
Chicago Tribune,
23 May 2026
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Teenage girls, battered in the storm after Joplin High School’s graduation, stumble and limp toward the hospital in pretty summer dresses soaked in blood.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
22 May 2026
Verb
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Myers nails the realistic teen who is a far cry from the unflappable Nancy Drew, screwing up plenty and often terrified of what she's gotten herself into.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
22 May 2026
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But great expectations can screw up merely very good players.—
Steve Conroy,
Boston Herald,
20 May 2026
Verb
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What makes all this so engaging is the knowledge that eventually, one side or the other will slip up and people will get hurt, and the confidence that Nemesis’s inner world is so vibrant that the fallout will just be as compelling as the lead-up.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
14 May 2026
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For investors to get a return on that investment, Google can't afford to slip up.—
MacKenzie Sigalos,
CNBC,
10 May 2026
Verb
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But at the same time, film has always been a labor of love, and cutting too many corners could ruin the art form entirely.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
22 May 2026
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According to the researchers, even small variations can weaken the final structure or ruin an entire print.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
22 May 2026
Verb
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An incorrect connection or approach can foul up a line, damage a plane or cause an accident.—
Tara Copp The Washington Post,
Arkansas Online,
25 May 2026
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There remains the possibility that the tank will still explode or rupture in a massive leak that could send the chemical to foul up waterways and the ocean.—
Emily St. Martin,
Los Angeles Times,
23 May 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Goof (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/goof%20%28up%29. Accessed 27 May. 2026.
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